1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to protective covers for hypodermic needles and, more specifically, to connecting apparatus for connecting a needle to a syringe and for covering the needle for disposal.
2. Related Art
Disposable hypodermic needles typically available cover the needle with a plastic removable cap. The cap protects the needle and medical personnel and users from injury due to accidental needle stick. The cap covers the needle from its tip to its base. The plastic cap is primarily intended to protect the needle before use and to protect personnel after use prior to complete disposal of the needle. Other needle protection designs may incorporate a flexible rubber cover for use with evacuated vials, etc.
Hard plastic is a preferred cover material but a removable cap creates a possibility of needle stick injury. Needle sticks may occur when personnel fail to properly join the cap and the needle, resulting in needle stick of the hand holding the cap because the hand or fingers are inadvertently allowed to come too close to the needle tip. Needle stick may also occur when the needle pierces through the cap because of misalignment during recapping or when the cap falls off of a recapped needle. Needle stick with a contaminated needle may result, for example, in illness from hepatitis or AIDS.
There is a need for a disposable hypodermic needle cover which can protect the needle prior to its use, and which can protect personnel after use of the needle from needle stick injuries such as occur when a cap is not properly replaced on the needle or when the cap falls off. There is a need for a needle cover which allows exposure or recovering of the needle without requiring the user to place a hand or finger near the tip of the needle. There is also a need for a needle cover which can be manipulated near the base of the needle to cover or uncover the needle rather than at the tip of the needle.
There is also a need for a connecting and covering apparatus with a needle cover for use with presently available needles having removable plastic caps which can be connected to a syringe whereby the presently available needle is mounted to the connecting apparatus so that the needle cover is substituted for the removable plastic cap.